JSA not AOK

So the Irish Budget for 2014 has been delivered. Grim news if you're young - although under 5's have come out of it for the better.

One point that struck me, while listening to Joan Burton grate her way through justifying reducing the dole for young people: Ireland has adopted the same mealy-mouthed description of "Jobseeker's Allowance" as was adopted in the UK in the mid-90s.

In this age of austerity, where anyone receiving money from the Government is being ostracised - whether it be through unemployment, disability or medical problems - why haven't the right-wing restored the name "Unemployment Benefit"?

But that would admit that no jobs are available, rather than their plight being caused by ending up out of work, as businesses (and Government) race to cut costs in a self-perpetuating cycle of decline.

(And no George, the UK economy may now be - pitifully - growing, but it's from a much lower base after three years of savagery. I learnt maths at school, something that your colleague Michael is keen to put a stop to.)

Poland

So England have another make-or-break qualifier to determine if they are going to go to the World Cup.¹ And it's against Poland, again. Which means one hoary old chestnut from 1973 is going to be exhumed once more.

Despite having been drawn in groups with Poland since, and qualifying from those groups for European Championship and World Cup finals, the media can't let go of the 1-1 draw at Wembley that meant England did not take part in the 1974 World Cup in West Germany. The coincidence of the latest qualifier being two days before the 40th anniversary of clowns, Alf Ramsey's resignation et al will only make things worse.

There's a lot of airtime and newsprint (and an infinity of internet) to fill before Tuesday.

Some things to expect:

- interview with the 'clown' goalkeeper ²

- thoughts from the living England players of 1973, as if they'd be any more relevant than those of a bloke in the pub

- attempts to analyse every potential Polish formation

- desperate pleas for the already-discarded members of the class of 2000-10 to return (like the heroes of a crappy action film) for one last taste of glory

- seance with Brian Clough to get his opinion on the current Polish goalkeeper (Sunday Sport?)

¹ Not strictly true - there would be a playoff if they finished second in the group.
² Already in the Observer.

Genius?

In the aftermath of the Arthur's Day PR disaster, it's interesting to see the reappearance of advertisements for Guinness Mid-Strength around Dublin.

'Yes, we acknowledge the problem with drinking to excess - but here's something you can drink in the same vast quantities yet only be quarter-cut rather than half-cut.'

Cunningly, the ad also shows a pint of the full strength version, just in case you have forgotten what one looks like. Or fancied one of those instead.

To borrow an old advertising slogan: pure genius.